CHICO — Chico State University and the city of Chico have come together to organize this semester”s Great Debate, which focuses on mental health issues and services.

Every semester, the two entities collaborate to create a civil discourse where members of the campus and community get engaged in discussion and rhetorical argument.

“I think it”s one of the coolest things that we do because it does get that campus-community connection in a nutshell,” said Professor Zach Justus, coordinator of the Great Debate.

This semester”s Great Debate will take place from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Chico City Council Chambers, 421 Main St. Its free and open to the public.

Presentations, debates and speeches presented by Chico State students will occur from 9 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Attendees can watch a film featuring community members sharing their experiences dealing with mental health issues during the “Mental Health Stories” session from noon to 2 p.m.

The final “main event” debates begin at 6:30 p.m., where community advocates and Chico State debate team members will deliberate on the statewide implementation of Laura”s Law.

Laura”s Law empowers the government and hospitals to force violent mentally ill patients to take a certain type of medication and how often to take it, said Rebecca Campbell, a junior communications studies student who is on the con side of the debate. The law is currently only implemented in Nevada County.

Campbell and Morgan Dixon are the two award-winning speech and debate competitors and Chico State students who will debate alongside local and regional advocates at the main event. Dixon is on the pro side of the argument.

Dixon will argue for implementation of Laura”s Law with Laurie Maloney, local homeless advocate and liaison, and Tim Stephens, local advocate and employee of the Jesus Center.

Campbell will argue against Laura”s Law with Bob Johnson, president of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights in Sacramento, and Dr. Arnie Ziederman, a retired physician and chair of the Northern California Republican Party.

“Actually having to do the research on the negative side, I actually believe and support a lot of our argument as to why we should not implement this law,” Campbell said.

The Great Debate is organized every semester with various debate topics. The spring debate focused on water and agriculture police and in fall 2012 the debate examined the issue of government taxation and spending.

Justus says the event has had a positive effect on Chico State students, especially first-year students.

“It has a profoundly positive impact on the perceptions of themselves as community members and it increases their engagement in the classroom,” he said.